Baby, Please
by The next Padfoot
Summary: With Christmas just around the corner, Lily is the only unhappy face to be seen. Could it have something to do with Scorpius?


Baby, please

_They're singing 'Deck The Halls',_

_But it's not like Christmas at all._

_I remember when you were here,_

_And all the fun we had last year._

"Al, please, sing a different carol. You must know a billion others." Lily begged her older brother. Al looked at her, a smile playing on his lips.

"Flower, does 'Deck The Halls' annoy you?" Lily nodded eagerly, praying he would humour her. "Well, in that case... DECK THE HALLS WITH BOUGHS OF HOLLY!" Albus' voice rang through 12 Grimmauld Place. Lily slapped her forehead.

James' voice could be heard from upstairs. "Fa la la la la la la la la!" Albus laughed and continued to sing, with James' assistance, of course. Sighing, Lily turned from her brother's decorating and entered the kitchen.

Ginny was busy a usual. All the stoves were on, soups stirring, pies baking. Despite this, Ginny stopped, seeing her daughter."Lily, darling, what's wrong?" Lily collapsed on the cushion next to the window.

"It's nothing." Ginny harrumphed. She pulled up a chair by her daughter. Ginny stroked Lily's thick auburn hair, several shades darker than her own. "Do you really want to know, mum?"Lily twisted her head to see her mother's face. Ginny nodded thoughtfully in response. Lily sighed. "It's Scorpius." This surprised Ginny, but she managed to keep her emotions from showing on her face.

"Go on, dear."

"One thing first." Lily looked around the kitchen, craning her neck as she searched for something. "Kreacher!" She called in a serene tone, mastered from her godmother. The house elf appeared by their knees.

"Miss Potter called for Kreacher?" The old elf croaked. Lily smiled at him. It was clear to everyone in the family that Kreacher adored the youngest Potter.

"Could you please do me a small favour?" Lily asked quietly, smiling as if the task she had in mind was a great secret. Kreacher nodded. "It would mean a lot to me if you could make some hot chocolate for me and mum here. But don't tell the boys, we wouldn't want them to drink it all, would we?" Lily giggled softly. Kreacher nodded.

"Yes, Miss Potter, hot chocolate for mistresses but none for the young masters." Kreacher laughed in a strange, throaty way before departing to make the women their drinks.

Lily leaned her head against the glass. "He hasn't written to me, and it's been a week. He promised he would, mum. It's the first Christmas in years that he's had to spend at Malfoy Manor instead of here, and I..." Lily stopped, staring out the window. Ginny rubbed Lily's back for a few moments. She was about to get up and continue making dinner when Kreacher arrived.

He reached up and tapped Lily's knee gently. She looked down at the old elf with tears in her eyes. Kreacher reached his tiny arms up, giving her the mug of steaming liquid. "Thanks, Kreacher." Lily smiled. He nodded to her then walked away, muttering to himself the entire time. Lily watched him as he left, thinking of how much he had survived. She shook her head, focusing on her mother, who at that moment was watching her curiously.

"Where was I? Oh, right. Mum, I really miss him... and I'm almost positive that-" Lily sucked in a deep breath and looked evenly into her mother's chocolate brown eyes. "-I love him." Ginny gasped slightly. Lily froze as if her mother had disowned her.

"Really, darling? Oh, that's so wonderful! I remember when I realized- sorry, this isn't about me." Ginny hugged her daughter tightly. She released Lily, deciding something. "Does he know how you feel?" Lily shook her head,her happy expression falling. "Then here's what you do-"

"For what?" Harry asked unknowingly. Neither answered, both suddenly interested in drinking their hot chocolate. He looked back and forth between Ginny and Lily, his confusion evident on his face. "Fine, don't tell me." Harry huffed, stomping out of the room. Lily laughed quietly.

"Write him a note. Short and sweet, telling him you need to tell him something. Don't make it longer than two sentences, or else he won't be curious enough to do what you want." Ginny advised.

"Words to live by, mum." Lily clinked mugs with her mother. Ginny stood up, saying something about making sure James didn't charm the tree to sing annoying carols like last year. Lily smiled, shaking her head fondly. "Kreacher, could you get me some parchment and a quill?" The old elf appeared almost instantly with her request. He handed her the parchment, ink and quill, bowed, then left. Lily immediately turned to writing. A moment later, she looked down, satisfied with her work. It was short, to the point, and effective.

_It's Christmas, baby please come home._


End file.
